Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to rodent traps in general, and to rodent traps which can be fixed in place in particular.
Rodents such as mice and rats are perennial pests, devouring food stores, spreading disease, soiling dwellings and storage and production facilities, and degrading fixtures and structures by gnawing, scratching, and nesting. Some rodent infestations may be dealt with by the distribution of poisoned bait. In other situations, where it is desirable to avoid the use of rodenticide, or where the retention of the targeted rodent is necessary, mechanical rodent traps may be employed.
For the capture of rates, sturdy mechanical rodent traps have been developed, such as the xe2x80x9cRodent Trap with Removable Bait Containerxe2x80x9d disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/002,401, filed Oct. 26, 2001, and incorporated by reference herein.
Not only do rodents travel along the ground, but many varieties have the ability to climb up to elevated structures such as beams, rafters, pipes, and conduits. In these elevated positions, a rodent can often travel throughout a facility, spreading contamination and evading ready capture.
One approach to trapping rodents traveling along pipes or beams has been to place a thermoformed plastic tray, large enough for two rodent traps, on the pipe. The tray is held in place by cable ties which pass through pairs of vertically extending cable holes formed in the horizontal base wall of the tray. Conventional rodent traps having an exposed metal bail are then set, and, after being set, are placed on the horizontal platform provided by the tray. The rodent traps are not secured to the tray, and after use, they are removed from the tray to be set and are then replaced on the tray.
What is needed is a rodent trap which can be conveniently placed upon beams or pipes and readily set by an operator.
The rodent trap of this invention has a plastic base to which a plastic upper jaw is pivotably mounted by a steel pin. A spring is engaged between the base and the upper jaw and urges the jaw to close upon the base. A trigger is pivotably mounted by the pin to ears which project upwardly from the base. A catch mechanism operates to restrain the upper jaw in a set position until the trigger is actuated. The base has two upwardly extending side walls. Each side wall has an opening adjacent the floor of the base. A cable tie extends through the opposed openings in the opposite side walls and is looped around a pipe, beam, or other support member. The ends of the tie are connected to secure the rodent trap to the support member upon which it is mounted. The rodent trap is thus secured directly to the support member without any intervening support platform. Because the plastic upper jaw provides a wide gripping area, and because the trap may be safely set by pressing on the upper jaw, the trap is readily moved into the set position while it is secured to the support member, even if in an overhead position. Once a rodent has been caught in the trap, the trap may be opened, the rodent extracted, and the trap set again, without removing the trap from its tied position on the support member.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanical rodent trap which is readily mounted to a beam or pipe.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a rodent trap which may be attached overhead and conveniently set when in the overhead position.